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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	covenant_n	old_a	testament_n	1,680	5	9.6229	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43587	The sure mercies of David: or, a second part of Heart-treasure Wherein is contained the supream and substance of gospel-mercies purchased by Christ, and promised in the covenant of grace, together with the several ways how they are made and are to be improved for the saints fort and defence, settlement and incouragement in shaking and back-sliding times. Being the fruit of some meditations upon Isa. 55. 3. By O. Heywood an unprofitable minister of the gospel.; Heart-treasure. Part 2.	Heywood, Oliver, 1629-1702.	1670 (1670)	Wing H1775; ESTC R216795	143,081	284

through Jesus Christ is that these are most fully assured to us by the execution of Christs Mediatory Offices both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation Let us here consider 1. Christs Offices 2. His States 1. Christs Offices are of three sorts as 1. Sacerdotal 2. Prophetical 3. Regal 1. As Priest Christ insures to us many Covenant mercies for he hath put himself in our stead offered himself as a propitiatory Sacrifice to satisfie divine justice which is a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 and of infinite value hence it is that Christ is called a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2.17 certainly remission of sins is one of the grand mercies of the New Covenant and this Christ assureth as Priest 2. As Prophet he reveals to us the will of his Father opens to us the sealed Book annoints our eyes by his blessed spirit the spirit of Christ inspired the Prophets of the Old Testament 1 Pet. 1.10 11. and the Apostles of the new in writing Scripture and Ministers in Preaching the Gospel and believers in discerning the meaning of the Word and beauty of Christ it is Christ as Prophet that writes his Law in Believers hearts which is one of the great mercies of the new Covenant that inlightens dark minds and unlocks to us Divine Mysteries and bringeth us from darkness to light 3. As King Christ Jesus doth what he pleaseth for the good of his Church converting and subduing souls to himself granting to them the spirit of power love and of a sound mind softening their hard and stony hearts mastering their high and sturdy Wills awing ordering and centring their unruly roving and raging affections subduing their strong corruptions regulating their conversations begetting and increasing their Graces supporting them under and sanctifying their afflictions all which Jesus Christ as King works for his Covenanted ones Yet more particularly in the second place let us consider how our Covenant-mercies are assured to us by Jesus Christ with reference to his two estates of humiliation and exaltation 1. In his estate of exinanition and humiliation here I might run through the instances of his contemptible birth his despicable life i. e. to a carnal eye his being in the form of a servant having no form nor comeliness his hunger thirst wandrings revilings of men wrath of God rage of Devils all these confirm the Covenant if we believe the history of the Gospel but there 's one thing more that put all out of doubt and that is his real ready and voluntary death for as he had a power so he had a will to lay down his life and he dyed for the confirmation of this Covenant and all the mercies thereof a pregnant proof of this you have in Heb. 9.15 the summ of which Text is that Jesus Christ the great Mediatour of this new Covenant hath suffered death for the sins of the elect that were committed against the first Covenant whereby all true believers might have the benefits of the new Covenant more surely and immutably made over to them and this he further comfirmes by the paralel case of a Testament and the Testatour even amongst men ver 16 17. where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator no man can challenge a Legacy till he prove the death of him that left it Thus the Apostle argues Gal. 3.15 Erethren I sp●ak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Co●e●ant y●t if it be co●●irmed to man disanulleth or addeth thereto for while he is alive he may alter his Will at his pleasure or as reason requireth but when the Testator is dead the heirs may look after their Legacies Jesus Christ is the Testator Saints are the heirs the Legacies are these mercies of the Covenant now the Testator is dead the Legacies come clear and the heirs of promise may claim their interest therein there 's no alteration of the Will when the Testator is dead there 's no reversing true Christians now come to enjoy their estates Christ emptied himself that we might be filled he lost his life that we might live he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 2. Christ's exaltation doth much more assure to us Covenant-mercies which consists in 1. His Resurrection 2. His Ascension and both these do abundantly confirm this to us 1. Christs rising again from the Grave assures us of the certainty of these mercies for though he was dead yet he is alive and so lives to be his own Executor if Christ had been detained Prisoner by the King of Terrours we might groundedly suspect that justice were not satisfied nor mercies fully purchased but he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 and now he hath conquered death and through death he hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil and so hath delivered the heirs of promise from the fear of death Heb. 2.14 15. nay and by his resurrection he raiseth us to a new life of holiness here and a blessed life of happiness hereafter Rom. 6.4 with cap. 8.11 2 Cor. 4.14 Christs Resurrection abundantly clears the Saints from all accusations and condemnation Rom. 8.33 34. in this therefore we may rejoyce and triumph as the foundtain of our consolation See Act. 2.24 25 26. 2. Christs Ascension into Heaven insures and secures Covenant-mercies to us both as it sets him in the holy of holies far above the reach of men and Devils and as he went before to prepare a place for us Joh. 14 2. he bids Mary to tell the Disciples Joh. 20.17 go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God q. d. now you may be assured of your interest in God in a Covenant-way for now I have done that work on earth that obstructed your fellowship and obscured your interest so that now you may call him your God and come unto him as your Father without misgivings within or challenges from without There are two things in Christs Ascension that assure these mercies to us 1. His session at Gods right hand 2. His Intercession 1. Jesus Christ is set at Gods right hand in heavenly places Ephes 1.20 and the two following verses afford us two choice considerations that tend further to assure us 1. That he is far above all principality and power might dominion and every name in this world and that to come ver 21. i. e. Christ as man is advanced not only above all States and Potentates on earth but above all Angels and Arch-angels in Heaven therefore far above the Devils none can hinder all are his servants to help forward his design for the good of souls oh what a sweet consideration is this that our nature is advanced thus high yea in the person of the

spirit substantially he is and hath the treasury of Grace a store-house of riches to supply indigent Creatures in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 therefore of his fulness do we receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 and this is laid up on purpose for the supply of his members that from the head may be conveyed influences through the whole body Ephes 4.13 14 15 16. besides he is annointed with authority for these supplies Ephes 1.22 23. he hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all hence he tells his Disciples that all power is given to him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 adde to all this his fidelity that as Moses was faithful as a steward much more is Christ as a Son faithful to him that appointed him Heb. 3 2-6 Well now lay all these together and surely we need not question the certainty of Covenant-mercies Since Christ hath sufficiency authority and fidelity and is thus abundantly qualified for carrying on this Gospel-design he both can and will make good the mercies of the Covenant to the heirs of the promise especially considering 3. The Covenant of Redemption which is an admirable insuring act of free-grace ingaging all the persons of the Sacred Trinity to carry on this work especially God the Son of whom we are now speaking this Covenant of Redemption is that mutual compact betwixt God the Father and the Son concerning the saving of lost man wherein each did undertake to act his part in this great affair as thus God the father doth elect a certain number whom Christ was to Redeem he was to part with his beloved Son out of his bosome whiles he came to the earth to do this great work Isa 42.1 4 6. he was to uphold him incourage him put his spirit into him call him in rightousness hold his hand keep him and give him for a Covenant of the people give him to see his seed Isa 53.10 11. Cap. 49.5 and though they be but few in comparison of the World yet he will make him glorious and in time he will satisfie him in giving him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 this is the ingagement on the Fathers part and then the Lord Jesus the Son of God promised the Father that he would assume the humane nature and so become man putting himself into the sinners stead becoming his surety fulfill all righteousness by obeying the Moral Law suffering for our breach of it be betrayed imprisoned accused condemned crucified buried that he should rise from the dead ascend into Heaven sit at Gods right hand intercede for Saints c. this part that Christ acted is fully laid down in Isa 53. throughout this was the great transaction betwixt the Father and the Son from all Eternity that there was such a mutual agreement See Titus 1.2 That this is no singular Doctrine but opened before See Mr. Bulkly gospel-Gospel-Covenant part 1. ch 4. p. 31. to p. 46 where 't is fully opened A so Mr. David Dickson in his Therapentica sac Book 1. chap. 4. p. 23. to pag. 71. in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began to whom did God promise any thing before man was Created certainly he promised something to Jesus Christ concerning mans Redemption as before-mentioned such a gracious plot was laid and compact made betwixt the Father and the Son and he cannot lye nor deny himself So 2 Tim. 1.9 who hath saved us according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began i. e. as Christ was a common person as head instead of the elect so we were given to him by this Covenant and that from all eternity but how come we to know this that are but of Yesterday and so dim-sighted that we cannot see afar off Why ver 10. it is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel for Christ revealeth all the secrets that were lockt up in the bosome of the Father Well then if this was the mutual stipulation betwixt the Father and the Son there is no question but they will be faithful to each other in the Old Testament God the Father trusted God the Son upon his promise to lay down his life and so brought thousands of souls to Heaven before ever Christ was incarnate or suffered and now when Christ hath gone through the greatest part of his task he trusteth God the Father to make good his part that he may fully see his seed prolong his dayes and that the pleasure of the Lord may prosper in his hand and certainly there cannot be any failing on either part Now this Covenant of Redemption is the Plat-form and foundation of the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and the Elect there is the same number and the like terms proportionably in both hence it is that although a believer find an unfaithful treacherous and unbelieving heart in himself daily departing from the living God yet this Covenant is built upon an higher and firmer Covenant betwixt God the Father and God the Son which cannot be broken and disanulled the Father and Son cannot deceive or be unfaithful to each other hence then it cometh to pass that the Covenant and the mercies thereof are so sure I shall conclude this head with that notable passage of Christs to his Father upon this very account Joh. 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do i. e. I have hitherto made good and performed the conditions of the agreement on my part ver 5. and now O Father glorifie me with thine own self i. e. make good thy part in my exaltation this with reference to Christs persen then for his seed and members he tells the Father that he had performed his part to them in manifesting his name to them praying for them preserving of them and now when he was to leave them he desires the Father to do his part of the work in keeping those whom he had given him ver 11. in sanctifying and saving them 17.24 and can we imagine but that God will be faithful to his Son on the behalf of his Saints certainly he will for as they were Redeemed by the Son so they were Elected by the Father and as God the Father gave them to Jesus Christ by election ver 6. and Jesus Christ dyed for them and so Redeemed them so God the Son resignes them up again to the Father who will certainly keep them by his power through faith unto salvation 4. Another thing considerable concerning the insuring of Covenant-mercies by and